Today we are wearing white poppies. The White Poppy symbolises the belief that there are better ways to resolve conflicts than killing strangers. Produced by the Peace Pledge Union, the white poppy has been worn in the run-up to Remembrance Day for almost ninety years, as a symbol of remembrance and peace.
The PPU draws attention to many of our social values and habits which make continuing violence a likely
outcome. From economic reliance on arms sales (Britain is the world’s ninth largest arms exporter selling
to Saudi Arabia, USA, Israel, India and most recently Ukraine), to maintaining and renewing manifestly
useless nuclear weapons. Such actions by the British government and arms producing companies
contribute significantly to international instability and the destruction of the environment. The outcome of
recent military adventures highlights their danger and ineffectiveness solving the problems of our
complex world.
Now, over 100 years a fter the end of the ‘war to end all wars’, we still have a long way to go to put an
end to the institution of war. In the last year alone, m ore than 450 million children worldwide were living
in a conflict zone, a 5% increase from 2019, and the highest nu mber in 20 years. (Save the Children)
Take action for peace: some ideas to influence public opinion and the government
TALK….to your friends and colleagues; to your local clubs and societies about nonviolence and the
alternatives to war; in your school, college, workplace, place of worship, cafe or pub; to your union or
professional organisation and encourage it to discuss publicly and advocate long term, nonviolent
s olutions to the current world problems of poverty, climate change and conflict fuelle d migration.
WRITE…letters to your local MP the se are very important; letters and articles to your local paper; to
encourage those national figures who also advocate addressing the underlying problems; to world
leaders and the United Nations.
JOIN…with like minded people, form a local group to promote and work for Peace; your local Peace
group, if you have one, and take part in their activities; any national or local demonstration etc; get
signatures on any petition that is organised
HELP…your local group to organise meetings; demonstrations etc. BE HEARD …join any relevant radio
phone in. VISIT your local MP’s surgery. ENGAGE in civil disobedience or take part in nonviolent direct
action. STICK UP a poster – make your own or see websites below. WEAR a white poppy or make
stickers on address labels. COPY this leaflet and give it to someone else. REMEMBER small personal
actions count. But do take action NOW
CONTACTS for protest against militarism and war policies:
Rt. Hon Rishi Sunak, Prime Ministe r, 10 Downing
Street, London SW1A 2AA; Rt. Hon James Cleverly , The Foreign Secretary, FCO, King Charles Street, London
SW1 A 2AH; Rt. Hon Ben Wallace, MP, Secretary of State for Defence, Ministry of Defence, Whitehall, London
SW1A 2HB; Find your MP he re: https://members.parliament.uk/FindYourMP
For information, tools for action, news and views:
peacenews.info cnduk.org wilpf.org.uk ppu.org.uk abolishwar.net caat.org.uk
Women in Black hold vigils every Wednesday between 6 and 7 pm at the Edith Cavell Statue, opposite the
door of the National Portrait Gallery, St.Martin’s Place, Lon don, WC2. Our vigils are silent, women only
and if possible we wear black. See our website at www.london.womeninblack.org Contact us at:
wibinfo@gn.apc.org www.facebook.com/womeninblack.london Twitter: @WIB_London
Donations for leaflets gratefully received. If you are a woman and agree with us, then do join us.
Vigil: 9 November 2022
TAKE ACTION FOR PEACE